To New Beginnings
by Autumn Dae
Summary: It was the start of a new year, the start of a new life, and Ziva finds herself spending it with someone unexpected. Tiva. Fluffy. Oneshot. Spoilers for season 7. Necklace story.


**A/N: Hey guys! Autumn here!**

**I wrote this right after Truth or Consequences aired. I didn't post it until now because I've been saving it for a rainy day (And my mind jumps to Family when Tony said he had saved the super glue prank on McGee for a rainy day...) and Lyndalanz suggested I write a necklace fic and, OOH!, lookie here, Autumn already has one ready. Thanks for the encouragement! **

**I know we're all DYING for a necklace scene like this to happen in the show, so here's my idea of it. It'd be sweet, it'd be lovely—not too mushy or long, and Tony would be just a little awkward and cute about it. **

**Alright, enjoy!**

**Autumn**

* * *

Ziva sat at her computer, typing off the last of the paperwork that was due the next day. She usually never waited until the last minute to finish all these forms and such, but what with all of the holiday parties that had lasted throughout the last two weeks, she had hardly found time to do so.

The building was quiet this New Year's Eve, even the janitor home now with his family. McGee had left Christmas morning with his sister to celebrate with their parents in Maryland, and Abby was at one of her crazy parties probably a little tipsy. Gibbs had disappeared hours ago. She had no idea where Tony was.

The past year had been hard. May was full of scars and bruises, having realized who Michael really, was, being betrayed by Eli and Mossad and Hadar, then being left in Israel only to be thrown into what could only be classified as a suicide mission. She had never thought that she would be rescued. There was a time when she vowed never to be captured alive, but this time, there was no reason to live. Everyone thought she was dead, and even if they didn't, they thought she was a traitor. She deserved to die; it would be justified. A traitor's death for a traitor's death. So for months she bore with the pain and the torture—emotional, mental, physical—hoping only that death might come quicker.

But when that hood was pulled off her head… everything changed.

He had sat before her, lips cracked, sweat mixing with the dust of the desert. And yet his eyes… They were forgiving. Merciful. Soft. Relieved.

Since then, things had become complicated. After weeks of trying to settle her position at NCIS and become a naturalized citizen, the stress had almost been too much to bear, though it was nothing compared to what she had been through in the past year.

It was a year she would like to forget.

So tonight she sat alone, lost on her thoughts when she heard a voice beside her.

"Hey," she looked over an illuminated by her desk lamp was Tony, a smile upon his lips as he leaned over the divider to her right.

"Hello," she replied kindly. _Flutter-flutter-flutter_.

"It's New Years—shouldn't you be celebrating?"

"My family…" she exhaled a little, knowing she didn't need to explain. "Besides, I would say the same to you,"

"Eh, my family…" he replied in a similar fashion, shrugging. He looked around. "Where's Gibbs?"

"Bar?"

"Probably," they were quiet for a moment, gazing only at one another, words not spoken, voices not heard. Finally, he stood and walked over to her. "So, I got this for you a while back--"

"Tony, a gift, it is not necessary,"

He ignored her and pulled a box out of his pocket, fingering it for a moment. "I got it a few months ago. I thought about giving it to you then, and then for your birthday, then for Hanukkah, then for Christmas..."

He handed it to her, not finishing his sentence. She eyed him but took the small black-velvet box from him an opened it, finding a white-gold Star of David upon a little chain inside. "Tony--"

"I noticed yours was missing, and I thought you should have one. I almost got you a gold one—looked a lot like your first one, but… I thought it should be different. You know, start of a new year…"

"Of a new life," she said, touching it gently. "I do not know if I can take this,"

"I want you to," he said honestly. They were silent for a moment.

"Thank you, Tony," she said, looking up at him.

"One sec," he said, moving to his own desk now. He dug through a drawer before he found what he was looking for—two cans of soda. He handed her one.

"What is this?"

"It's tradition to bring in the New Year with drinks, and since no one but Vance is really supposed to have alcohol in the building…" They opened them and Tony glanced at his watch. "It's almost midnight," he said.

It was silent for a moment before Ziva began to speak again, standing and meeting him as they leaned against her desk, side by side, shoulder to shoulder as they had from the beginning. "I never did say thank you," she mused. She looked at him, her eyes glistening in the faint light left. "Thank you for saving me, Tony,"

He gave her a half-smile, so genuine and fine. "Anytime," And so they sat for a few more moments before he checked his watch again. "Ten seconds," They counted it down in their heads, neither wishing to speak.

As the clock struck midnight, Ziva put her hand on his cheek and leaned in closer, kissing him ever so softly on the lips, just for one short moment in time. She pulled away quickly, looking away.

Tony smiled and held out his can. "To new beginnings,"

She did the same and they clinked their cans together. "To new beginnings," she agreed.

And they sat in the dark, words floating about invisibly.

* * *

**Wasn't that cute? I think so, anyway. **

**I think her new necklace should be different than her first one—that one represents, as I alluded, her past, her life. The new necklace should represent her future, her new life, the new home she's creating for herself—with him. My other idea for her new necklace would be a silver bird, representing her freedom. I decided that she should keep a part of her past with her, hence the same charm, but it's different now… I can't explain it properly, but you guys have good imaginations. : ) I'm pretty sure there will be a new necklace—they made too much a deal of it in Aliyah not to bring a new one into the picture, or at the very least a cleaned old one. While it's possible Gibbs might give it to her, I think Tony will/should/would be a better option. Anyway, we'll see.**

**Don't forget to review!**


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